Improvement in rotary engines



UNITED STATES iff-.1i FFICE.

MARY sILLMAN (ADMINIS'IEATEIX OE WILLIAM sILLMAN, sn., DEoEAsED) AND WILLIAM srLLMAN, OE BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN ROTARY ENGINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 180,662, dated August 1, 1876 application tiled June 5, 1876.

To alt whom Iit may concern:

Be it known that WILLIAM SILLMAN, Sr., late of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and v State of New York, deceased, and WILLIAM companying drawing, in which- Figure 1 represents avertical section in the plane m Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a vertical section in the plane y y, Fig. 1.

Similar letters indicate corresponding parts.

This invention relates to certain improvements in rotary engines; and consists in the combination, with the steam-cylinder and piston-wheel, of a filling-piece, provided with a passage leading from the steam chest to the cylinder, and a disk adapted to be held against the end of the piston-wheel by the pressure of steam in a chamber to form a steam-space Within said wheel, communicating With the recesses behind the sliding pistons of the same, as more fully hereinafter set forth.

In the drawing, the letter A designates the cylinder of the rotary engine, which connects by two ports, a a', with the ports b b in the steam-chest B. Between the ports b b is situated the exhaust -port c, which communicates with the exhaustpipe C, and in the steam-chest works the valve D, which is boxshaped, (see Fig. 1,) so that if the same is moved toward one side of the steam-chest the port b is brought in communication with the exhaust-port c, and the port b is uncovered to admit steam to t-he cylinder, and if said valve is moved to the opposite end of the steam-chest the port b is uncovered, and the port b is brought in communication with the exhaust-port. By moving the valve D, therefore, the motion ofthe engine can be reversed. It' the valve is moved to the middle of the steam-chest steam is shut oft' and the engine' is stopped.

The inner surface of the cylinder forms an unbroken curve, and in the interior of said cylinder works the piston-Wheel E, which is rmly mounted oir a shaft, F, that has its.

bearings in the cylinder-heads. Said pistonwheelis so situated in the cylinder that it comes in close contact with the inner surface of the same at one place, leaving an open space, which gradually diminishes toward the place of contact. At this place is situated a tillingpiece, G, the inner face of which is curved to correspond to the curvature of the pistonwheel, and which is pressed in by a set-screw or by the pressure of steam on its back, so

that said piston-wheel works steam-tight against the filling-piece. In the piston-wheel are four radial slots, which form the guides for the pistons H, and these pistons are held in contact with the inner surface ot' the cylinder by springs d, and by the pressure ot' the steam, as will be presently more fully explained.

As the piston-wheel revolves the pistons follow the curvature of the cylinder, and when said pistons approach the filling-piece G they are gradually pressed in until their outer edges become iush with the surface of the piston-wheel, and after having passed the filling-piece the pistons move out again gradually.

The filling-piece G is removable, so that when the same has become worn it can be taken out and replaced by another, and the joint between the steam side and the exhaust side of the cylinder can always be kept tight.

One end of the piston-wheel works steamtight against the cylinder-head I, but its opposite end works against a plate, K, which is fitted into the end of the cylinder, and between which and the cylinder-head L is formed a chamber, M, which communicates through one or more channels, e, with the interior of the steam-chest. Between 'the -plate K and the shaft F is an annular opening, f, through which the steam admittted to the chamber M passes behind the pistons H, so that said pistous are pressed out against the inner surface of the cylinder by the action of the steam.

By these means a rotary engine is obtained which works entirely noiseless, and which requires but little attention for the purpose of keeping the joint tight.

What we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

ln combination with the cylinder A and piston-wheel E, the filling-piece G, provided we have hereunto set our hands and seais this with the passage e leading from the Steam- 31st day of Mey, i876. chest, the disk K, adapted to be held against the end of the wheel E by the pressure oi' MARY SILLMA'imStm steam in chamber M, to foi-n1 a steam-space WlLLIAM SILLMAN [L l Within seid Wheel eommuniegtting with the recesses behind the sliding pistons ofthe sume, YWitnesses:

substantially as described. E. F. KASTENHUBER,

In testimony that we claim the foregoing J. VAN SANTVOORD. 

